Who Has Mastered the Social Media Experience?

Hewlett-Packard does a good job of creating an experience for their customer using social media. They have mastered streamlining a message that carries across all of their outlets including Facebook, YouTube and encouraging user generated content to generate hype for their new products. They use Facebook as their hub to promote their other social media efforts because Facebook is the most popular and commonly used avenue. The general public understands Facebook and has started to use it to find new products. Social Networks have become a place to compare usage and satisfaction of products. The Groundswell book says social media is important because it promotes relationships and interaction between people. Facebook is THE tool to manage relationships between friends and even between consumers and companies. Companies are struggling to understand how to monetize this new avenue in a way that can be measured and improved. There has been a major shift from search engine optimization to social media madness. Hewlett-Packard has made successful strides in their usage of social media and is leading the way for other companies.

The biggest benefit of social media is that it offers the customer an outlet for becoming a part of a conversation with the company. The new age of consumer is one who feels educated about the product and not only wants as much information as possible but wants to give feedback and make requests. The new consumer has turned something intended for social interaction into a place to discuss products and services. HP recently conducted a YouTube contest to encourage consumers to create videos showing how their laptop affects their life and why it is so important to them. It was an extremely successful campaign with thousands of entries. HP found a way to control the user-generated content without alienating the consumer. The Groundswell book mentions the problem with YouTube videos and blogs is there is no way to manage or control the content that it put out into the world. This competition gave the consumer an opportunity to make videos and get attention for them while remembering why they love their HP laptop so much. The campaign created relationships and encouraged conversation by allowing the public to comment and vote on their favorite videos. It was well integrated into their general marketing campaign of making the PC personal again. The campaign was meant to remind the consumer of how a laptop can be personalized and unique in order to make every individual’s life better. The YouTube competition was a way for the consumer to tell the world what they love about their laptop and how it is special to them. HP also got to understand the features that made a laptop special to the consumer by the thousands. It was a great way for them to conduct research if they took advantage of the content. This was a great example of HP took advantage of a social media avenue their consumers were already using to increase their image and promote their new campaign. It was also well integrated into the marketing campaign, which can be difficult to combine all of the communications.

Because one in four Americans use Facebook monthly as said by Groundswell it is important for companies to have a fully developed page. HP has almost 150,000 likes on their main Facebook page, but also has several sub pages that are targeted to specific audiences. HP’s Facebook page has a subpage for support where consumers can ask for help with products. There’s a page dedicated to HP’s efforts around the world including marketing campaigns and new products. There is also a page called “Live Green,” which shows their investment in the consumer because being “Green” has become very important to the modern consumer and any way they can minimize their carbon footprint increases their satisfaction and confidence in products.

First Word: MIRROR

Whenever I think of a mirror I think of images, mirror image, myspace pictures, reflection, looking at myself, watching others look at themselves. Last night I was a t a bar and one wall was lined with mirrors. We found it hilarious to watch all the people glance at themselves as they walked by. This was especially funny because they were all dressed in Halloween costumes and probably couldn’t have looked more ridiculous but they still wanted to make sure they looked good while looking ridiculous. Also, considering the crowd that was at this bar, it was very fitting of their generally self-indulgent ways to fully enjoy and appreciate the mirrored walls. Dance comes to mind because I took lessons my whole life and dance lessons are always in front of a mirror so that you can see your moves and correct them if you need to. In fact, mirrors are mostly used to correct something about your appearance whether you want to adjust your hair, makeup, clothes moves, smile or anything else. Mirrors can also be used for decoration. I have a mirror on my dresser with a decorative frame to make it more like art than useful.

Second Word: TV

Television is my main source of entertainment in my home. I spend entirely too much time watching trashy television. When I think of TV I think of guilty pleasures because everyone has that show they absolutely love but are kind of ashamed to admit they watch to people. I also think of video games because most people have a game consul they use on their TV. I am a huge movie person and although a TV at home could never compare to the experience of going to the theatre I have lately been watching a ton of movies at home. TV allows me to veg out and be entertained while marveling at how other people live whether it is fiction or “reality” tv. I think of all my favorite shows and some really great memories I have with friends and family watching tv throughout my life.

Products:

1. Decorative mirror that turns into a tv so that it looks like a piece of art

2. Tv in your bathroom mirror

3. Handheld gadget that is a mirror and can double as a tv so you can look at yourself and watch tv

4. Mirror in the tv for video games that are interactive

5. A tv that when breaks you get 7 years of bad luck

6. Tv with a program that acts like a mirror so you can “try on” different outfits and hairstyles “an image projector”

7. Tv image recorder. For the youtube video connoisseurs who want to see what they look like in the videos they are recording

8. Sliding mirror doors that turn into a tv for large projection

9. Projector mirror—for the people who have large projector tvs in their house

10. Tv in car that turns into a rearview mirror

11. A mirror that is projected on a tv elsewhere to see what other people do when they are looking at themselves

Viable product

TVs are getting bigger and blacker. Although, they have mastered making them thinner so they don’t take up as much space. Mirrors are often a decorative piece in the living room because it makes the room look bigger and is similar to a piece of art. If someone could master turning a hanging mirror into a TV it would be a great decorative focal point for the room, which takes up no space and offers the family entertainment. The mirrored part would just transform into a tv screen when you turn it on.

Customer Insights Collides with Movies About the Iraq War

My idea for the topic of the paper is movies based on the Iraq War. These movies are sometimes based on fact and sometimes fiction but are all based on an event that is still currently going on. To a certain extent the movies are for entertainment because they wouldn’t make any money otherwise, but how can we see them as entertainment when the war is so horrible and what the movies are depicting is so sad. I’m going to start by looking into the motivations of the artists who participate in these films from the directors to the writers and actors. I am starting with questions for the artists that I hope interviews will have answered such as: What was your motivation for making the film?, Do you believe the image of the war the film promotes?, Are you trying to take a stand by participating in the movie?, What do you hope the viewer will get out of watching the movie? The question is whether the motivation of the artists is carried through and becomes apparent to the viewer in the customer experience. I want to know the following about the viewer: Why people go to see the movies?, Do they want to know more about the war and what soldiers go through?, Do they see movies as a realistic depiction of the war or do they separate themselves from the war by seeing the movie as strictly entertainment?, Do the movies make them question the purpose of the war or does it make them support and respect soldiers more?, Do the viewers feel for the soldiers and empathize with them? I also want to know why most of these movies flop while Hurt Locker was a huge hit. Are Americans trying to avoid the issue of the war or are they just tired of this almost decade long war?

Several of the movies I am looking into include the award winning Hurt Locker, Green Zone, The Brothers, The Messenger, and Stop-Loss. Most of the movies take a deep dive into very specific aspects of the war. They do not cover the Iraq war as a whole rather dig deeper into very particular teams and lives that are affected in different ways by the war. The various parts of the war like disarming roadside bombs, and looking for WMDs, Post Traumatic Stress, death and the idea of returning to war are extremely different and yet are all a part of one war that the US has engaged in for almost a decade. I find the ways these artists choose to depict the soldiers and the affect of the war very intriguing because Post Traumatic Stress Disorder has always been a fascination of mine both about what it is and does to people as well as the United States’ complete lack of respect or preparedness for such effects of the war. The artists who participate in these movies seem to want to portray the affects on the psyche of the war to show the world what these men and woman go through every day.

After watching the Behind the Scenes clips of The Hurt Locker with Kathryn Bigelow, the director, and Mark Boal, the screenwriter, discussing their motivation behind making the movie as well as their reasoning for filming it in certain ways it has become clear that authenticity is their number one concern. Kathryn said she wanted the viewer to “be the fourth man on the team.” She wanted it to feel that real for everyone involved. Both of them talked about wanting to show what these men who voluntarily do possibly the most dangerous job in the world go through and feel on a day-to-day basis. In an interview with Time Magazine, Mark Boal said that what drew him into writing the film was, “the insanity of the war was not being expressed in the popular media and that it could make a really eye-opening, gut-wrenching movie about the horrors of war to see the war through the eyes of these guys with this gutsy job on the front lines.” He wanted to show a new kind of war that our nation had not yet seen before; one based on bombs and not traditional fighting and a war fought strictly by volunteers and the psychology that was behind that.

Now I need to know more about their motivation as well as other directors, writers and actors to see if most of these films are based on the issue of psychology and the “new” warfare. I also need to find out what the reaction was to these films and whether the motivations panned out. Some say The Hurt Locker was so successful because it did not take a political stance that it just showed the truth with no intentional message behind it. I am wondering if the other movies were not as successful because they were biased and why the biases are so important to the customer experience and reaction. This is a way for me to apply film making to customer experiences and insights. How does a war motivate a movie? How do the potential viewers of the movie affect the movie making? Are the viewers a huge consideration or an afterthought in a statement making movie based on real life? These are all questions I am hoping to answer.

Interview Article: Jones, Radhika “Oscar Week: Hurt Locker Writer Mark Boal” Time Magazine, March 4, 2010 http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1969623,00.html#ixzz121BnUswD

Behind the Scenes videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-6xvpAL9nk&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Er_OUD2D_NY

My Persona

Demographics: I am a 21-year-old female college student. I am in the business school and I have a part time job on campus working in the Liberal Arts deans’ office. I have worked there since I was a freshman though I took last semester off to do a part time internship at a public affairs firm. I recently completed an internship doing marketing at a technology corporation. I was born and raised in central Texas and enjoy the “Texas lifestyle” very much. I have spent a summer abroad in Paris and a summer in Seattle during which I wanted to discover whether I could enjoy living in places outside of Texas. I grew up in a rural town from which not a lot of people went to college. I will be graduating successfully in four years and am in the process of applying for and deciding on full-time opportunities. I am an only child and come from a middle class income family with parents who both have college degrees. My father was in the military before college and my mother lost her job when the economy went down. Our household has obviously suffered due to the loss of income and we have had to adjust our lifestyle.

Lifestyle: My life is one major juggling act. I mentioned I am a student with a part-time job, but I am also involved heavily in an organization on campus called the Undergraduate Business Council. We are the representative body of the business school. Throughout the year I participate on several committees planning events for the organization and the business school as a whole. On top of that we have weekly meetings and are encouraged to attend most of our events. There is also the social factor that must be maintained. As a business student you learn very young the importance of networking and building relationships to your future. In addition to my responsibilities, I consider myself an extremely social person. My roommates comment all the time on my constantly having plans while wondering how I manage it all. My social life drives my ability to keep going with everything else. Because it is so rewarding to be around friends I am able to stay focused when I need to be rather than punishing myself by not going out because I have burdened myself with responsibilities. I live with three female roommates in a four bedroom four bathroom apartment that most would probably consider luxury. I find myself very lucky and appreciative to have parents that can help me pay for college and living expenses. I am very fortunate to be able to focus on all of my commitments including my grades rather than affording college. My diet is absolutely horrible. I eat out entirely too much for a college budget and when I eat at home it tends to be more of snacking than a full meal and my roommates tend to eat similarly though they eat out even more than I do. One of my roommates is not a student she works full time as a kindergarten teacher and graduated in May. None of my roommates are business students, which is a major relief to me because I already spend so much time with business students and the pressure is intense. If I had to come home to the pressure and constant career talk I would be miserable. We watch a lot of reality television and Glee while all talking on the couch. It would be rare to see someone in the living room without a laptop open and their cell phone right next to them. We “multitask” by talking, watching tv, doing homework, social networking and eating. Last night we discussed whether that meant our brain capacity was increasing because of our ability and almost need to do so much at once or if it just meant we were doing everything terribly. I don’t work out much but all of my roommates try to keep a regiment of running and other cardio. We don’t have a dog but we really want one and we like to dog sit as much as possible to have a loving pet around.

Personality: It will all work itself out is what I try to remind myself every day. I tend to try to make things happen the way I want them, but it’s usually better when things work out on their own. I love to shop at trendy low cost stores, but plan to shop at more mature stores when I graduate. I love love love to travel and meet new people. I have a strange obsession with other cultures and would really love to someday live in another place for a long enough time to be adapted to another culture. I would also, really love to learn another language or two although I’m not sure when I’ll ever make the time for that. Dancing and country music are my passion and when the two come together I happen to be one of the happiest girls around! Reading is one of my main past times. I tend to read historical fiction, escapist literature or comedic memoirs. I stay up too late and get up too early all furthering my procrastination cycle.

Impact of Design

Human centered design is really interesting to me because as companies are discovering the importance of design they are becoming more successful. I happen to be a firm believer in giving the customer what they want and not deciding for them. I found it surprising that it took so long for these philosophies to develop. In class, Jeff Mulhausen referenced the craft stage and it amazed me that crafters created what they wanted and customers bought it without considering comfort or ease for the consumer. Expectations from the consumer have become so vast over the last 100 years. They now receive almost complete transparent access to information about products and expect the best product with the least amount of effort. Henry Dreyfus said, “If people are made safer, more comfortable, more eager to purchase, more efficient or just happier, the designer has succeeded.” His influence was so pervasive that we still use his products 70 years later despite the drastic changes in technology. His efforts changed the design business with one quote that seems to be quite obvious to me. Unfortunately, there are still many companies who do not invest in design as part of their marketing techniques and they may survive for a while because they provide what the consumer is used to but eventually a competitor will come along and provide a design centered option to draw customers away.

Technology is a major space where design and engineering are at a constant battle. The engineers pull for features and capabilities while the designers are concerned with being unobtrusive, aesthetic, useful and self-explanatory according to Deiter Rams’ philosophy. For a long time technology was like the craft age where the companies told consumers what to use. The best option was dictated to us because we weren’t knowledgeable enough about the industry to make demands. Now that Generation Y is coming of age and have had access to technology all of their lives they can make educated demands of the product. Rising products for the younger generation are obviously design focused. Google has mastered the online technology world in design. It may seem obvious, but it is important because there are other companies who don’t see the importance of design. Google utilizes almost all of the principles of design of the philosophy started by Deiter Rams from being innovative to unobtrusive to having as little design as possible. They have managed to be the first in online applications and because of their careful human centered design have not met very strong competition. The only lacking principle is honesty. I don’t think it is well known how much information consumers are giving to Google when using their free applications. It makes sense that users should pay in some way for the products, but sacrificing privacy can be a major price. Luckily for Google, once the consumer does discover the reason behind the creepy advertising that happens to go with the content of their emails they have already become so attached to the product they don’t seem to care. They also have developed for Jeff’s philosophy of design. My personal favorite is the system. If you have the email you will use the chat and if you become attached to the chat you are likely to adopt the calendar and docs. Once the consumer is integrated fully into the system it will be very difficult to get them to stray because it is one easy synchronized system that can be accessed in one place with one password. It is made for the masses and not just the tech savvy while empowering the user. Google seems to be fully invested in design when producing and marketing products to their consumers.

Hello World!